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The crash had been heard all over the railroad yards。 Railroad men and
circus men had rushed toward the spot where the acmodation car had
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gone over the embankment； Mr。 Sparling among the number。 He had just
arrived at the yards when the accident occurred。
Fortunately； the wrecking crew was ready for instant service； and these
men were rushed without an instant's delay to the outskirts of the yard
where the wreck had occurred。
However； ere the men got there a startling cry rose from hundreds of
throats。
〃Fire！ The car is on fire！〃
〃Break in the doors！ Smash the sides in！〃
Yet no one seemed to have the presence of mind to do anything。 Phil
had been hurled through a broken widow； landing halfway down the bank；
on the uphill side of the car； else he must have been crushed to death。
But so thoroughly dazed was he that he was unable to move。
Finally someone discovered him and picked him up。
〃Here's one of them；〃 announced a bystander。 〃It's a kid； too。〃
Mr。 Sparling came charging down the bank。
〃Who is it？ Where is he？〃 he bellowed。
〃Here。〃
〃It's Phil Forrest；〃 cried one of the showmen； recognizing the lad；
whose face was streaked where it had been cut by the jagged glass in the
broken window。
〃Is he killed？〃
〃No； he's alive。 He's ing around now。〃
Phil sat up and rubbed his eyes。
All at once he understood what had happened。 He staggered to his
feet holding to a man standing beside him。
〃Why don't you do something？〃 cried Phil。 〃Don't you know there
are people in that car？〃 〃It's burning up。 Nobody dares get in till the
wreckers can get here and smash in the side of the car；〃 was the answer。
〃What？〃 fairly screamed Phil Forrest。 〃Nobody dares go in that car？
Somebody does dare！〃
〃e back； e back； Phil！ You can't do anything；〃 shouted a
fellow performer。
But the lad did not even hear him。 He was leaping； falling and
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The Circus Boys Across The Continent （Or Winning New Laurels on the Tanbark）
rolling down the bank； regardless of the danger that he was approaching；
for the flames already showed through a broken spot in the roof of the car；
which was lying half on its side at the foot of the embankment。
Without an instant's hesitation Phil； as he came up alongside； raised a
foot； smashing out the remaining pieces of glass in a window。 Then he
plunged in head first。
The spectators groaned。
〃Dimples！ Dimples！〃 he shouted。 〃Are you alive？〃
〃Yes； here。 Be quick！ I'm pinned down！〃
Phil rushed to her assistance。 Her legs were pinioned beneath a
heavy timber。 Phil attacked it desperately； tugging and grunting； the
perspiration rolling down his face； for the heat in there was now almost
more than he could bear。
With a mighty effort he wrenched the timber from the prostrate woman；
then quickly gathered her up in his arms。
〃I knew you'd e； Phil； if you were alive；〃 she breathed； her head
resting on his shoulder。
〃Do you know where Teddy is？〃 he asked； plunging through the
blinding smoke to the window where voices already were calling to him。
〃At the other endI think；〃 she choked。
The lad passed her out to waiting arms。
〃e out！ e out of that！〃 bellowed the stentorian voice of Mr。
Sparling。 But Phil had turned back。
〃Teddy！〃 he called； the words choked back into his throat by the
suffocating smoke。
〃Wow！ Get me out of here。 I'mI'm；〃 then the lad went off into a
violent fit of coughing。
By this time two others； braver than the rest； had climbed in through
the window。
〃Where are they all？〃 called a voice。
〃I don't know。 You'll have to hunt for them。 I'm after you； Teddy。
Are you held down by something； too？〃
〃The whole car's on me； and I'm burning up。〃
Phil； guided by the boy's voice； groped his way along and soon found
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The Circus Boys Across The Continent （Or Winning New Laurels on the Tanbark）
his hands gripped by those of his little panion。
〃Where are you fast？〃
〃My feet！〃
It proved an easy matter to liberate Teddy and drag him to the window；
where Phil dumped him out。
Mr。 Sparling had climbed in by this time； and the wrecking crew were
thundering at the roof to let the smoke and flames out； while others had
crawled in with their fire extinguishers。
There were now quite a number of brave men in the car all working
with desperate haste to rescue the imprisoned circus people。
〃All out！〃 bellowed the foreman of the wrecking crew。 〃The roof
will be down in a minute！〃
〃All out！〃 roared Mr。 Sparling； himself making a dash for a window。
Others piled out with a rush； the flames gaining very rapid headway
now。
〃Phil！ Phil！ Where's Forrest？〃 called Mr。 Sparling。
〃He isn't here。 Maybe〃
〃Then he's in that car。 He'll be burned alive！ No one can live five
minutes in there now！〃
The fire department had arrived on the scene； and the men were
running two lines of hose over the tracks。
〃Phil in there？〃
It was a howla startled howl rather than a spoken question。 The voice
belonged to Teddy Tucker。
Teddy rushed through the crowd； pushing obstructors aside； and hurled
himself through the window into the burning car。 He looked more like a
big； round ball than anything else。
No sooner had Tucker landed fairly inside than he uttered a yell。
〃Phil！〃
There was no answer。
〃Where〃
Teddy went down like a flash； bowled over by a heavy stream of water
from the firemen's hose。
As it chanced he fell prone across a heap of some sort； choking and
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The Circus Boys Across The Continent （Or Winning New Laurels on the Tanbark）
growling with rage at what had befallen him。
〃Phil！〃
〃Yes；〃 answered a voice from the heap。
〃I've got him！〃 howled Teddy； springing up and dragging the half…
dazed Phil Forrest to the window。 There both boys wer